Malkangiri: In a major anti-Maoist operation, the District Voluntary Force (DVF) of Malkangiri Police recovered a large cache of arms, explosives and communication equipment from a Maoist dump in the Odisha-Andhra Pradesh border area on Sunday. The recovery was made during a search operation conducted on the basis of information obtained from surrendered Maoists.

According to the police, the intensive search was carried out in the forest areas of Gunthabada and Kadamguda under Kalimela police station limits in Malkangiri district, bordering the Motugudem and Donkarai police station areas of Andhra Pradesh's ASR district. The Maoist dump was unearthed at around 6.30 am.

The seized items include two Self Loading Rifles (SLRs), two country-made pistols, one US-made pistol without a magazine, a .303 barrel, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) weighing 2 kg and 5 kg, one claymore mine, four BGL cells, five cartridges and seven walkie-talkies. Police also recovered electronic devices, including 45 pen drives, a hard disk, a keyboard, batteries, chargers and a medicine kit, besides materials suspected to have been used for manufacturing explosive devices.

Police suspect the recovered weapons, explosives and other incriminating materials belonged to the Maoist cadres of the Andhra-Odisha Border Special Zonal Committee (AOBSZC). Officials said the stockpile was intended to target civilians as well as security forces.

The police stated that Malkangiri had become completely Maoist-free by March 31, 2026, in line with the target set by the Union Home Minister. Between January 2025 and March 31, 2026, two Maoists were arrested, while 23 others surrendered to the police in the district.

This is the third major Maoist dump recovered in Malkangiri this month. Earlier, on June 9, security forces recovered an INSAS LMG, two INSAS rifles, IEDs, grenades and detonators from the forests under Mathili police station limits. Another cache, including three sten carbines, an SBML gun, a pistol, IEDs, UBGL grenades and other Maoist materials, was seized from the Podia police station area on June 15.

Police said regular combing and search operations by the Special Operations Group (SOG) and DVF teams will continue to detect and recover hidden Maoist arms and explosives to prevent any revival of Maoist activities in the region.